


Stairs Between Sun and Moon

by roxyryoko



Series: Drabbles in the Dark [9]
Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Alternative Universe - Fairytale, F/M, Fluff, Rapunzel AU, but it’s cozy there, fairytale, locked in a tower, prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-26
Updated: 2020-02-26
Packaged: 2021-02-28 04:53:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,535
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22908103
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/roxyryoko/pseuds/roxyryoko
Summary: Bernadetta was not a damsel in need of rescuing from her tower. On the contrary, she quite liked it up here. If only this noble would leave her to her solitude. There’s no way his heroic proclamations were to be trusted. Yup, he definitely had nefarious intentions.Rapunzel AU.
Relationships: Ferdinand von Aegir/Bernadetta von Varley
Series: Drabbles in the Dark [9]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1590193
Comments: 10
Kudos: 49
Collections: Those Who Drabble in the Dark





	Stairs Between Sun and Moon

**Author's Note:**

> I’m a bit late but this week’s prompt was “AU’s” and fairytales seemed like a good fit!

Warm gleeful singing fluttered out of Bernadetta’s lips as she pulled the thread taut, securing the beaded eye onto the plush Venus flytrap. She picked up the nearby scissors and cut the needle off with one quick snip. After setting her sewing tools away, she held the doll up straight and three adorable jagged grins met her proud smile.

“There!” she proclaimed. “Bernie fixed you all up! Now stay away from that mean birdie, okay, Mr. Cerberus?” She hummed as she rose, cradling the doll endearingly in her arms. Long tresses of shiny violet hair trudged along behind her, the coils unwinding with each bouncy step. Once at the windowsill, she gingerly sat Mr. Cerberus down, adjusting the three heads so they all aligned.

“Aha, I knew I could not be dreaming!” called a voice from below and Bernadetta’s blood turned cold. Suddenly, she couldn’t breathe let alone move. Her eyes stayed locked on her doll, but she could still hear a series of foreboding sounds: a rhythmic plodding of hooves on soft grass, the whinny of the horse as it reared, and a rustle of fabric followed soon after by a thud.

_Help._

“Forgive me if I startled you,” the man said, his voice carrying strongly even though he was so very far below. “But I simply became entranced by your ethereal voice and ventured out in search of the source! It seems my efforts were rewarded by the Goddess herself! I must offer my gratitude to you gifting my ears with such a wondrous melody.”

This was definitely a trick. He was trying to lower her defenses with sugar-coated words. Then he’d do something terrible like drag her to a nearby village and hang her up by her hair so everyone would laugh at her. Or worse! Gut her and cut off her hair to sell to a wig maker! Yes, it was without a doubt a ploy.

Well, Bernadetta wasn’t going to fall for it.

Her fingers trembled violently but she willed herself to look down. For a moment. A blink really. Even that was all too frightening, and she shook more. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she quavered. “Singing? There’s nobody singing! I can’t sing. Frog’s sing better than Bernie.”

“Bernie? Is that your name fair maiden?” His voice was gentle and seemingly well-meaning, but Bernadetta knew how deceptive such a tone could be. Why, oh, why was she so foolish to have announced her name?

He continued without waiting for her answer. “I have heard a most disconcerting rumor of a young lass villainously held captive within a formidable tower. It is said that she resides in this very forest. And it is said that she has unfathomably long lush hair. Is that you perchance?”

“N-nope!” Her voice cracked, her fear compelling an instant response. “Can’t be me. I’m snug as a bug up here. Perfectly content! Who could have hair that long anyway? Not me!” She found herself glancing down at him again. His long auburn hair whipped like flames in the light breeze and a smile graced his lips. He was actually pretty handsome if Bernadetta let herself forget that he was surely scheming. “So you can…um,”—she gulped—“go.”

This tower was her reclusive sanctuary. Here was safe. Here she was far away from those who wouldn’t understand her. Here no fathers could hurt her. And most importantly, she liked her solitude.

The corners of his eyes tensed. “If you are afraid to identify yourself out of fear for your life, please, there is no need to worry. I, Ferdinand von Aegir, will see to it that you are freed from your shackles. As a noble, I cannot stand for such tyranny!”

“No! Um, no, I’m fine! No shackles. No tyranny!” He sure was persistent to enact his nefarious deed. “So if you’ll e-excuse me, I’ll just-I’ll be going.” She took a slow cautious step back into the confines of her home, away from the dangerous outside world. Already relief washed over her.

“Is your captor lurking out of sight?” Ferdinand planted a foot into the stones at the base of the tower and reached up to grasp the rocks above his head. “Fear not! I shall scale this tower and rescue you!”

Bernadetta was still shaking, but the fright had mutated into anger.

“Just stop it!” she shouted and he halted his ascent. “Maybe I like it here! It’s, um, cozy a-and I can I sew or paint or write all I want. I’m like a bear—a Bernie bear—hibernating away from the rest of the world. A-and from inside here, I can see a really lovely view…so it’s not bad! It’s really nice, actually!” Her justification quickly felt insufficient and unwarranted. She reeled back and buried her face within her hands as she chastised herself. “Idiot! Why would anyone care what you think is pretty, Bernie!”

Ferdinand remained quiet a long time, but backed down off the stones. “Ah, I see,” he said at last. “That was most disgraceful of me. I see now that I came to the wrong conclusion. I apologize.”

Bernadetta peeked out from between her fingers as he cleared his throat.

“If it would not be too disagreeable perhaps I may visit again sometime? You would not need to come out of the tower more than you are now and I would remain down here.” He ran his hand through his hair nervously. “I would very much enjoy speaking with you again, and perhaps if you wouldn’t mind, hearing you sing again.”

Bernadetta’s cheeks became hot and the knot that formed in her stomach wasn’t caused by the normal feeling of dread. It was something scary, yes, but just a little bit exciting as well.

Perhaps this nobleman truly did not have an alternative motive.

“Um,” Bernadetta squeaked, lowering her hands to her chin and curling her fingers. “Maybe I wouldn’t hate that…entirely.” The smile he beamed caused her to flush even more.

* * *

Ferdinand sat opposite to Bernadetta at the small circular table, a large wooden chest substituting for the lack of a second chair. Bernadetta couldn’t look at him as he sipped his perfectly brewed tea and hummed thoughtfully at the vibrant illustration in the book laid out across the table.

“You are quite gifted,” he mused, catching her eye and sending her heart into loop-de-loops. “Both in writing and painting. I am very impressed. Thank you for sharing this with me.” He closed the book carefully and placed his teacup down. Bernadetta’s own shook in her hands as he leaned across the table, handsome features drawing into an endearing smile. “But it is left unfinished. How does the story end?”

“Well…” She began but self-doubt clutched her throat. She fell silent, biting her lip.

“Please, I beg of you. I simply will not be able to sleep easy tonight unless I know the end.”

She fidgeted uncomfortably and her nerve almost flitted away entirely when she accidentally caught a glance of those piercing golden eyes. Her own eyes squeezed shut as she steeled herself. With a deep shuddering breath, she opened her mouth to speak. And air. 

Ferdinand waited patiently. He didn’t even reach for his tea.

She rallied her bravery. She could do this! 

Finally she blurted out a frantic rush of words, “The prince called, ‘Bernadetta! Bernadetta! Let down your hair!’ and once she did, he climbed up into the tower. And, um, they talked and got to know each other. And for some reason he kept wanting to come back even though Bernadetta thought he couldn’t possibly want anything but to use her hair for fishing line.” She inhaled sharply. “So he came back—everyday over weeks and moons. And one day he said he liked it in the tower just as much as she liked it! And even though she didn’t believe him, he said…um…she said…they both…” Her cheeks grew hotter and hotter and her tongue entangled, preventing her from saying the embarrassing thoughts in her head. She quickly gave up. “And so, um, the end!”

Ferdinand’s laugh was oddly soothing. “I see. I’ll admit I am quite partial to it.” His hand found hers hiding on her lap. He caressed slow circles into her knuckles. “But I’m afraid the prince’s 'um' is not very eloquent. I believe his diction must have much more precision and passion. Wouldn’t you agree?” She nodded, shakily. “I propose this instead.” Bernadetta foolishly looked up and was ensnarled by those sunlit eyes. “Bernadetta, you are the sun to my moon, the day to my night. Different as we may be, I cannot bear to be without you. My dearest, I love you with my entire soul.” He squeezed her hand gently and slide a velvet box across the table with his other hand. “Would you do me the great honor of being my wife?”

Bernadetta’s squeal of both fright and acceptance frightened away the birds feasting on Mr. Cerberus.

As she flailed for words, Ferdinand drew her into a tight embrace. The concoction of excitement and fear bubbling in her stomach ceased. Suddenly the tower seemed even cozier than before.


End file.
